Signaling an end to another piece of Pittsburgh’s steel industry past, DTE Energy Services announced last week that it will be closing the Shenango coke plant on Neville Island, putting 173 workers out of a job just before Christmas. The announcement came as a shock to union leaders, who were in the midst of negotiating for a new contract when it was made.

Amid hopes that the long overdue state budget would be completed this past weekend a tentative agreement has fallen apart. Capitol reporter Mary Wilson joins us with the latest on the state budget stalemate.

Macy’s announced the closure of their downtown Pittsburgh store yesterday, surprising many residents and setting the stage for a discussion on the future of large brick-and-mortar retailers in the city. Before yesterday’s announcement, Macy’s, which had once been home to Kaufmann’s department store, had already been gradually cutting back their selling space. The Pittsburgh Business Times has covered the story and explored what a closure might mean for downtown retail. Reporter Tim Schooley shares his thoughts on today’s show.

Global ketchup manufacturer H.J. Heinz Company recently announced a layoff of 350 employees in the Pittsburgh region. This follows a $28 billion acquisition by investment consortium Berkshire Hathaway and their affiliate 3G Capital.

The company has not yet disclosed how much the layoffs will save them. Pittsburgh Business Times manufacturing reporter Justine Coyne says cutbacks are not unusual during an acquisition, but because of Heinz’s historic connection with the city, many locals are hurting.